Academic Excellence
PROGRAM VISION
Society needs to prepare students with high academic ability for roles as community and international leaders in their chosen field. The Academic Excellence Program at Palm Beach Currumbin High School aims to foster the highest possible academic standard for each member of the program. By elevating the performance of these academically able students, the program seeks to provide them with a platform for success in tertiary studies and life-long learning. Our vision is to deliver a challenging and enriched curriculum that will continue to benefit our students beyond their school years.
CURRICULUM
The Queensland school curriculum is designed to assist students to become life-long learners. The overall learning outcomes of the curriculum contain elements common to all key learning areas and collectively describe the valued attributes of a life-long learner.
In addition our Academic Excellence Program develops each student as a life-long learner so that they become:-
- A knowledgeable person with deep understanding
- A complete thinker
- A creative person
- An active investigator
- An effective communicator
- An independent participant
- A reflective and self-directed learner
The Academic Excellence Program offerings of Palm Beach Currumbin High School are detailed in the accompanying diagrams. The program will include special projects, the provision of access to consultants and tertiary institutions, and participation in extension activities. There will be a central focus on the development of thinking skills.
PROGRAM FEATURES
1. Student and Parent Commitment
Students selected for this program recognize the need to spend additional time on developing their full intellectual capacity. This will often mean doing more study at home on evenings and weekends than their friends. Through their achievement students will develop a love of learning and a sense of their own capacity to learn.
In enrolling their daughters/sons in this program parents commit to supporting the academic focus of this program and the time that students will need to devote to it. Parents are encouraged to have an active involvement in the program by attending parent evenings where important aspects of the program are explained by guest consultants and teachers involved in the program. Parent comments and suggestions are welcomed at all times and may be conveyed to the Principal or Program Coordinator.
2. Thinking Skills
The teaching of thinking skills is fundamental to providing students with opportunities to develop the higher order thinking that is necessary for them to attain their optimum potential. Research shows that student performance in complex reasoning processes and decision-making results in higher achievement in both the QCS test and QSA subjects.
Thinking skills is a subject taught exclusively to Academic Excellence students in Years 8 and 9. As well the school has a unique 3 year program that challenges students to participate in a wide array of learning opportunities designed to improve not only their academic performance but also their performance in service, enterprise, leadership and in social interaction.
Skilful thinking is neither natural nor as common as we would like, and because it is not likely to develop automatically in every student, we have made it an integral part of the Academic Excellence curriculum.
3. Information Literacy
Students in the Academic Excellence Program will be provided with a booklet that enables them to undertake research tasks in a methodical manner. Resource based learning requires that students are effective users of information regardless of format. To become effective information users students must have frequent opportunities to handle all kinds of information and text.
Information literate students are those who have learned how to learn. They know how to learn because they know how knowledge is organised, how to find information, and how to use information in such a way that others can learn from them.
4. Welfare and Mentoring
The school will provide a stimulating and caring environment to cater for the needs of students within the Academic Excellence Program. Students will be able to seek support from the Academic Excellence Coordinator, the Guidance Officer, the school nurse, or members of the school administration.
Students and parents are also encouraged to discuss any learning issues with subject teachers and Heads of Department. In addition in Years 11/12 personal mentoring is available so that each student in the program can discuss both academic and personal issues that may be impinging on their development in the Academic Excellence Program.
5. Other Excellence Programs
Students are able to participate in both Academic Excellence and other Excellence Programs throughout Year 8 to 12. Please feel welcome to discuss involvement should you have any concerns.
6. Staff Professional Development
Teachers within the Academic Excellence Program are committed to further ongoing professional development. At Palm Beach Currumbin High School we will continue to focus on:-
- Enhancement of teacher knowledge and skills
- Fostering attitudes which contribute to improved learning culture in the classroom
- Updating and improving information and communication technology skills
- Teacher ‘scholarship’ through ongoing personal development
Teachers are selected to be part of the Academic Excellence Program. Many are leading practitioners in their subject area. Senior teachers, Heads of Department, and Deputy Principals are actively involved in encouraging and supporting constant improvement amongst teachers through professional development programs.
7. Maintainance of Position in Program
Student performance will be monitored regularly. Students must maintain high academic achievement while in the program. The school reserves the right to withdraw students from the program at any time.
8. Special Provisions
Where necessary measures will be undertaken to accommodate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, students from non-English speaking backgrounds, and economically disadvantaged students.
Please contact the school if you believe that your child identifies with any of these categories. Where such students satisfy entrance requirements, we will endeavour to assist their pathway if required.
9. Selection Procedures
Participation in Academic Excellence is limited to an intake of multiples of 28 students per class. Access into the Academic Excellence Program is through application and entrance examination. Students will be required to sit tests in areas that may include general aptitude, mathematical ability, knowledge of current affairs and writing ability.
Applications close: Friday, 14th March 2008
Entrance exam: Saturday, 15th march 2008
Entry into the Program may also occur at other times depending on student performance and on vacancies in the Program at that time.
10. Program Costs
A fee additional to the textbook and equipment hire charge is payable upon acceptance into the program and in each subsequent year that the student is part of the program. A processing fee of $30 is charged for application, and supervision and marking of the entrance exam. These funds are used to provide additional resources and enhancement exclusively for students within the program. Such funds provide greater curriculum resources, exclusive visits from guest speakers, and specialised training for teachers.
Currently the yearly fees are:
Year 8: $160
Year 9: $175
Year 10: $190
Year 11: $150
Year 12: $150